


Across the Street

by Wakingonprospit



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, Big Brother Gabriel, Castiel and Dean Winchester are Neighbours, Destiel - Freeform, Human Castiel, Human Gabriel, Impala, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-30
Updated: 2016-05-12
Packaged: 2018-02-19 08:10:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 11,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2381069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wakingonprospit/pseuds/Wakingonprospit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Of course he had thought of going to meet their new neighbor on several occasions, but he never seemed to know what he was going to say. Every time he had come close to crossing the street, his nerves would get to him, making him turn back around.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Another part to my "one word themes" challenge. This time my sister picked the word "Impala." Also AUs are the best :D  
> EDIT: Changed the name from Impala to Across the Street.. Impala just didn't make sense when the new chapters were added

Castiel Novak uses his fingers to part the blinds of his front room window for the seventh time that day. He gazes out into the bright afternoon, deep blue eyes burning in the light as his pupils contract.

He glances around quickly, taking in the familiar scenery before him. The suburban houses that line the street are all similar in structure. They have the same black light post with black mailboxes, the same yards, though the shade of green obviously varied, and the same boring bricks, with black doors and glass windows upon the faces of the houses.

The brunette directs his attention to the house directly in front of his own. Just a week ago its walls and everything in them were barren, but now it is as if the for sale sign that stood in front of it for so long had never existed at all.

Nothing is known to Castiel about the family that has moved in across the street, though one particular member of the family has quickly gained Castiel's interest. This person is the reason Castiel continues to sneak looks outside when his family is not looking. He'd hate to admit it, but lately he has actually become almost obsessed with watching his gorgeous neighbor work. He has lightly tanned skin that's scattered with light freckles,  dirty blond hair, vibrant green eyes, and toned muscles.

This is the fourth day since they had moved in that the stranger has spent the entirety of the afternoon working on his car. The car is unique, though it is not as if Castiel would know, not being one to know anything about cars. It's black and sleek and looks like something out of an old movie. He can't imagine what the man outside could be working on, considering that the car looks to be just fine.

Nevertheless, there he is, denim blue jeans and a green t-shirt with his head tucked under the hood of the car and seeming to be focused on the task at hand, whatever that may be. If only he would move just a bit, so his face could be seen.

Castiel knows nothing about this man, save for the facts that he really liked watching him work, he appeared a couple of years older, and that his car seemed to be very important to him.

"Just go talk to him already."

Castiel jolts slightly in surprise and whirls around to see his older brother, Gabriel, watching him from across the room. "I have no clue what you are talking about." Castiel pushes up a stoic expression as he replies quickly, attempting to keep an even tone.

One of Gabriel's eyebrows raises in question as he makes his way across the room, "Oh really?" he starts, taking a bit of a sarcastic tone, "You mean to tell me you weren't drooling over mister nice butt and freckles?" He smirks and pulls the string quickly to raise the blind up, bathing the room in sunlight and exposing them to the outside.

From the corner of his eye, Castiel can see the man across the street look up, eyes likely drawn to the sudden movement. The younger sibling scrambles to back away from the window, his pale face turning bright red quickly, hearing his older brother laugh loudly at his reaction.

He steps to the side, out of view from the window and narrows his eyes slightly at Gabriel, "Brother, that was not funny."

"Oh come oooon bro, you're acting like a little girl. Just go talk to him." the shorter man leans against the wall, staring at his little brother.

"I have nothing to talk to him about. I do not know him." Castiel moves closer again and hurriedly closes the blind, guiding Gabriel from the window.

"And?" Gabriel laughs and turns to face his little brother, "You have to go and get to know him."

Castiel sighs quietly, at a loss for words. Of course he had thought of going to meet their new neighbor on several occasions, but he never seemed to know what he was going to say. Every time he had come close to crossing the street, his nerves would get to him, making him turn back around.

"Tell you what," Gabriel pipes up again, resting his hand on Castiel's back and leading him toward the door. "We'll go together. I'll be like your wingman. It'll be great."

Castiel is a bit uneasy with the idea of meeting him so suddenly. He fidgets for a moment before deciding that going right now with Gabriel is better than going alone later. "Okay... Okay brother, thank you." He lets his older brother lead him to the door, walking through it hesitantly as Gabriel opens it for him.

Castiel feels the warm summer air against his skin and takes a deep breath, stopping on the front porch to try and calm his nerves. He looks across the street, immediately catching eye contact with the bright green eyes of the blonde across the road.

Maybe it's Castiel's imagination but he swears he can see the stranger give him a once over before the corner of his lips turn up in a small, friendly smile. He feels his heart skip a beat at the small gesture as he raises his hand to wave across the street at the taller man.

Then he feels his heart stop as he hears Gabriel slam the door behind him, locking it and leaving him outside.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a few of you guys wanted another chapter so here we go. Feel free to follow my tumblr (writingonprospit)

"Gabriel?! Let me in, now!" Castiel's hand hurts from how hard he is hitting the front door of his house. "This is not funny!" he yells at the door, despite being able to hear the muffled sound of his older brother laughing his head off on the other side of it.

Castiel growls quietly in frustration before he suddenly realizes that if the back door is unlocked, he will be able to get in that way. His eyes widen as he turns around quickly, planning to make his way to the back of the house. He hardly takes two steps before he hears a deep, almost throaty voice across the street calling out to him. "Hey, you having some trouble there?"

At the moment, the brunette completely freezes in place, blue eyes widening at the sound. He turns his head to look across the street, only to find the man who he has been watching for the past few days staring at him with a radiant smile on his face that almost makes his knees give out.

He feels as though he must look very silly, barefoot in his front yard in a red t-shirt and black shorts, just staring over at his new neighbor with his mouth slightly open. It takes him a moment to remind himself that the blonde was talking to him. "What?" he stutters out clumsily, feeling his face heat up. "I mean-" Castiel struggles to think straight with the vivid green eyes of the stranger locked onto his own. "My brother locked me out of our house," he rushes out quickly.

The other man shakes his head as he laughs lowly before looking back to Castiel. "You want to come over here man? I can't really hear you."

And with that, the blue eyed boy makes his way across the street, eyes glued to the blonde as Dean closes the hood of his car, then leans against the front of it, turning to face Castiel.

As Castiel gets closer to the other man, he begins to notice a few minor details that he had not noticed before, such as the light stubble across the man's jaw and chin. He notices how well built his arms and shoulders are. He notices how his sandy blond hair is a slight mess from being out in the heat all day. He notices the way the man's green t-shirt is damp with sweat, making it cling to his torso, tempting Castiel's eyes to focus there, rather than on the man's face.

He lets his allows his eyes to roam over the blonde's torso slowly for a moment before he realizes what he is doing and blushes as his eyes shoot back up to lock onto the other man's face. He hopes that the taller man would not notice, but the brief smirk that crosses the blonde's face tells Castiel that he was not being discreet enough.

He now stands about five feet from the other man, staring at him as he tries to think of what to say. "Um- I-... My name is Castiel... Novak," he says quickly, reaching out his hand for the stranger's.

"Uh..." The green eyed man lifts his hand then glances around for a moment before pulling a rag from a toolbox that he had on a nearby bench. He spends a moment wiping his hands off before tossing the rag to the side and reaching out to shake the shorter man's hand. "Dean Winchester," he says simply, smiling brightly before pulling his hand away. "Now what were you saying?"

Castiel just stares up at the other man in wonder before realizing that Dean is talking to him. "Um- I-... My brother locked me out of my house." He turns his head back toward his house to see Gabriel watching the two of them from the other side of the window and making kissing faces against it. Great, now Castiel would have to wash the window when he got back inside. "He is... very immature..."

Castiel's sigh is hardly audible over the sound of Dean chuckling. The blond lifts his hand to wave at Gabriel. "You know when he's going to let you back in?" He flashes a smile at Castiel before looking back to the short man inside of his neighbor's house to see him making profane hand gestures.

"I have no idea," Castiel's face reddens in embarrassment, looking away from the window and back up to Dean, " I may not be able to get back in until my father gets home..." He sighs and runs his hand down his face in frustration.

"Shit," the blonde frowns down at Castiel as he speaks before pushing up a smile, "Well Cas, it's pretty hot out here. You want to come inside?" He grins wider and turns to throw a few tools into a tool box.

Castiel's eyes widen slightly, "What? Are you serious?" he asks, nervous of going into this stranger's house, but still very happy to be invited in.

"Yeah, you coming?" Dean smiles and winks over his shoulder at the brunette as he turns to make his way up the sidewalk to the front door, leaving Castiel to hurry after him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hint: leaving reviews will let me know if you want more of this. ;p


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave reviews I haven't been getting much feedback... My tumblr is writingonprospit if you want to follow

The inside of the Winchester's home is a little messy, likely from their recent move. The front door opens up to a large living room. The furniture has been pushed against the walls and there are several boxes of various sizes, some empty and some full of miscellaneous household objects that the family has not found a place for yet.

"Sorry for the mess," Dean mutters quietly, pushing a box to the side carefully with his foot as he makes his way to the kitchen, which can be seen through a door-less walkway. "Bobby's been busy at work during the day so he hasn't really had the time to go through any of this junk yet."

"That's alright, Dean, really." Castiel follows the taller man with a slight smile on his face. "Who is Bobby?" He asks casually, trying to make conversation, while glancing around at his surroundings.

"Hm?" Dean pauses for a moment, pondering as to whether he should tell the other man that he and his brother were adopted before deciding on simply replying, "He's my dad." He shoots another smile over at Castiel as he grabs a hand towel from a drawer next to the sink. He runs the cloth over his face to dry off any sweat that might have been there, then moves it to behind his neck.

"What does he do for a living?" he smiles as he moves to sit on a bar stool across the counter. He can't help but allow for his eyes to follow Dean's hand, paying attention to the way the muscles in his arm and shoulder flex as he raises it and the way his neck stretches out at the contact from the cloth.

"He's a mechanic," Dean tilts his head a little as he sets the now dirty rag aside then turns to begin to wash his hands in the sink, "We moved up here so he could open up his own auto shop."

Castiel's eyes follow the movement as asks, "Where did you move here from?"

"Lawrence, Kansas," Dean replies simply before adding on, "It's not far from Kansas City." He glances over at Castiel as he dries his hands then makes his way over to open the refrigerator, "Want anything to drink? V' got beer, sprite, coke..."

The shorter man frowns slightly at being offered alcohol. 'Surely Dean isn't old enough to be drinking that sort of beverage either', he thought. "Just water is fine," he replies with a smile.

The blonde then grabs two water bottles out of the refrigerator's door. He tosses one to Castiel, which the brunette is hardly able to catch, fumbling with it slightly before he gets a grip on the water bottle. He opens the other bottle for himself and takes a slow drink from it. His throat was dry from working outside for the majority of the day and the water was just what he needed to quench his thirst. As he withdraws the bottle from his lips he lets out a quiet sigh in content. Dean then glances at the younger man, who he notices has been staring with unblinking eyes at him. This makes him chuckle quietly, "See something you like, Cas?" he teases with a wink that causes the other's face to redden.

Castiel can feel the heat spread all the way up to his ears at the flirtatious gesture and for a moment he forgets how to form coherent sentences, stuttering with his mouth gaping open in an unsure manner, only causing the green eyed man to laugh more.

"Relax, I'm just joking," Dean reassured him kindly, allowing for Castiel to relax for only a moment before other continues, "I know you do. Why else would you have been watching me all week?" he grins as Castiel's face gets even more red than he thought was possible.

"I- I have not!" Castiel says quickly, feeling as though his heart is hammering in his chest from the embarrassment. "I- I mean- I didn't mean t-" His eyes are getting a bit watery. He feels as though he has been caught committing a vulgar act towards Dean, and that it is far too late for apologies.

"Hey, woah calm down," Dean rushes out, already feeling bad for bringing it up. "Don't even worry about it. I thought it was cute." He frowns and shakes his head slightly, "I wanted to talk to you too. I was just waiting for you to make the first move... It's alright really."

Castiel slowly calms down at the realization before frowning and looking down at his hands with guilt. "You knew?" he says slowly, afraid to make eye contact with the other.

Dean smiles softly and lets out a quiet chuckle as he speaks, "Of course I knew. Why do you think I was out there all the time?"

The blue eyed teen finally looks back up to Dean, a frown still present on his face despite the relief that he was feeling. "I thought you were fixing your car," he mutters.

This causes Dean to laugh nervously and rub at the back of his neck as he looks away. "I uh... Fixed my car a couple of days ago..."

With that, Castiel finally joins in on Dean's laughter as the two of them realize how ridiculous they have both been.

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

Gabriel grumbles impatiently as he knocks on the bathroom door for the third time in the past ten minutes. "Castiel, I swear to God, if you don't get out of there now, I'm going to go across the street and ask your boyfriend if I can use his bathroom, because you're hogging ours!"

The younger sibling has been in the bathroom for almost thirty minutes now. He runs his fingers through his hair one final time before sighing in defeat and turning to open the bathroom door. "He isn't my boyfriend, brother," Castiel corrects the shorter man quickly, "This is only our first date."

Gabriel stands in the doorway with a scowl on his face as the door unlocks, but as soon as he sees his brother his expression softens into a small smirk. "Yeah," he says slyly, "And you're dressed like you're about to get married." He snickers at his own joke before looking his brother over again quickly. "A tie and sweater-vest?" he asks, "In the middle of summer? On a movie date?"

Castiel frowns immediately, eyebrows knitting together. "I thought that it looked nice," he looks down at his clothes for a moment before looking at his brother again. "Does it look bad?" he asks worriedly.

Gabriel laughs and pushes his brother out of the way so that he can walk into the bathroom. "It looks fine," he reassures him, "Hurry up, you're late." With that Gabriel is closing the door.

The brunette's eyes widen as they lock onto the wall clock at the end of the hall.

Not even a minute later, he has gathered his phone and wallet, put his shoes on, and hurried out the front door. Immediately, he is regretting his decision in attire. The sun is intensely bright, sending waves of heat that soak into Castiel's clothes and heat up his skin.

He only has to knock on the door to Dean's house for a second before the door is opening and sending a wave of cool air toward him.

"Hey," Dean says with a friendly smile as he steps outside to stand in front of the shorter man, "You look good, ready to go?" The blonde doesn't wait for a response before heading toward his car and fishing in his pocket for his keys.

Castiel hurries after him, pulling at the collar of his shirt to cool himself down. "Yes," he mumbles quickly, "I'm ready when you are. Sorry I was a little late."

Dean chuckles quietly as he opens the door to the passenger side of the Impala. "You were four minutes late, Cas," he says with a fond smile, "I think I can excuse it."

"If you say so," the other mutters and looks down, "I still feel bad about it."

Dean notes the way that Castiel's face heats up in a small, almost unnoticeable blush of embarrassment. He can't help but think how cute the facial expression was and a small part of his mind wonders how red Castiel's face could get under other circumstances. Feeling a bit ashamed for a moment, he quickly reminds himself that he shouldn't be thinking about those sorts of things right now and instead just smiles at the other man, innocently admiring him.

On impulse, Dean leans in and pecks the brunette's cheek gently, earning a look of shock from the other, complete with wide eyes and an open mouth. "Don't worry about it," he smiles softly, leaning in a little closer, "I didn't mind waiting."

It didn't register for Castiel that Dean had kissed him until the moment after it had happened. Without thinking about it at all, he turned his head toward the other man with a look of bewilderment. Looking back on the moment, he wishes with all that he has that he would have reacted better. Perhaps he should have tried to kiss him back, smiled, or even said something but the most he can do is gape at the other.

It is not as if Castiel has never been kissed before. He's kissed several people, boys and girls. He's made out with people, and even gone a little farther with one of his long term relationships. But with Dean, it somehow felt different. The blonde was physically flawless and absolutely stunning, which made it hard for Castiel to understand why this man would want to go anywhere with him. Castiel simply could not decrypt the stranger that was Dean Winchester. The man seemed to have come out of nowhere and suddenly, Castiel finds himself completely captivated by him.

Dean grins widely at the other as if to reassure him that it would be alright, then gestures for the other to get into the car.

Castiel quickly complies, both excited and nervous at the idea of going on a date with this seemingly perfect man. He glances to his side as the passenger door closes shut beside him, then watches as the green-eyed man makes his way around the car to get into the driver's seat.

Castiel's lips quirk up into a small smile as the other reaches for his seat buckle. Then, he is leaning across the center console to kiss Dean's cheek in return.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a review if you actually want me to keep writing this.


	5. Chapter 5

To Castiel, being with Dean felt like something out of a dream. Castiel was nervous and hesitant when he entered the other man's car. It was strange, going on a date with someone that he hardly knew, but there was an air of adventure to it. Strangely, as time went on, Castiel began to relax into the warm leather seat of the Impala and the smell of cologne and oil, a scent that was surprisingly pleasant and uniquely Dean. Castiel found himself smiling brightly and leaning back comfortably. He decided that it was due to the openness that the blonde seemed to possess.

Dean was incredibly friendly, not in the way that made him seem intrusive or cocky, but in a way that made him seem trustworthy and sincere. He grins as he talks about his family and how excited he is to see Jurassic World, keeping his eyes on the road and only looking over occasionally to flash a big bright smile at the brunette.

Castiel keeps becoming side tracked, thinking about the way that Dean had kissed his cheek so casually and how he had returned the kiss a moment later. He found himself wondering if it would be alright for him to kiss Dean on the lips. Would it be appropriate to do so this soon? Should he wait until the end of the date? What if Dean tried to make a move on him in the theater?

"Cas?" He feels a hand rest gently on his thigh as Dean's voice breaks through his thoughts, "You still with me?"

Castiel turns his head to see Dean smiling happily at him. It takes him a moment to realize that the car has stopped moving and that they are now in the movie theater's parking lot. His hand subconsciously goes to rest on the hand on his thigh, but his eyes widen immediately as he realizes what he has done. His heart stops momentarily as he begins to lift his hand and open his mouth to apologize, but before he can say anything, he feels Dean's fingers lacing with his own. The younger man's face goes bright red for a moment and with uncertainty, he slowly holds Dean's hand back.

They stay like that for moment, holding hands and staring at each other, frozen for what seems like hours. When it dawns on Castiel that the other man had asked him a question, he pauses before replying in a quiet, nervous voice. "Yeah, I'm with you..."

With those few words, Dean is not able to help himself. He tilts his head slightly and leans in slowly, closing his eyes as his lips finally brushes the other's.

Castiel is taken off guard by the sudden closeness, but then he realizes what is about to happen. He is caught briefly with a feeling of panic, unsure if he should do this now. He doubts himself, considering briefly what would happen if he messed up. But as soon as he feels the brush of Dean's lips against his own, all doubt he felt melts away.

His eyes flutter shut and he leans in just a little to press his lips against Dean's. A million thoughts run through Castiel's head at that moment. He thinks about how soft and warm Dean's lips are. He wonders if this will be the first of many kisses, or if this would not last long. He is aware of how hot the car is getting in the summer heat. He notices how sweaty his hand is getting and hopes that Dean cannot feel it against his own. He feels like everything has been set right and that their date was getting off to a remarkable start.

When Dean finally pulls away, the two stare at each other happily for a moment until Dean lifts up Castiel's sweaty hand to kiss the back of it gently. "Let's get out of this heat, alright?"

Castiel blushed at the kiss on his hand but smiled happily at Dean, nodding quickly.

The rest of their date went just as well as the first part.

Once they had made it into the theater, Dean stepped a bit closer to Castiel to wrap his arm around the shorter man's waist. The brunette is aware that he and Dean may be moving a bit too fast, but he cannot bring himself to care.

It feels as if this is the thousandth date that the two have been on. They stay close together as they walk and hold hands during the movie, sharing brief kisses as if they had been together for years rather than just meeting each other a few days ago.

It is a scary thought, but one that Castiel can't help but consider: He may be falling in love with Dean Winchester.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment to let me know what you think of this chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

The two walk into the Winchester's house. They are laughing at themselves in sheer joy of having each other's company, huddled together despite the heat. Dean has his arm tight around the brunette's waist while Castiel lifts up the freckled man's free hand to kiss the back of it softly.

It seems as though the two have been exchanging kisses nonstop since the first kiss in the car. One was all it took before Castiel found himself spiraling out of control, wanting more of this sweet affection from the other man.

They had found it slightly difficult to pay attention to the movie while together. They had started the movie by simply holding hands on the armrest, but not even thirty minutes in, Dean had put his arm around Castiel's shoulders. It was not long after that that they had lifted the armrest so that Castiel could relax into the comfort of Dean's side.

The smaller man would have found it even easier to concentrate on the movie if Dean had not been leaning in to peck his lips every so often. Not that Castiel was complaining, he accepted every kiss happily and was left grinning after each soft peck.

Castiel had always seen movies and television shows in which people on dates would make out in the theater. He is grateful that it did not come to that, especially on their first date. The one time that Dean pressed for more than just a quick peck, they had been interrupted by an unexpected dinosaur noise coming from the screen, which had left them both laughing quietly. _It was sweet,_ Castiel thinks, _that Dean was so content in simple displays of affection._

It had been Dean's idea to come back to his house after the movie. He had told Castiel that he wanted to spend more time with him before he had to go home.

As they make their way into the living room, Dean leans down to kiss the shorter man's lips softly. "Want anything to drink?" he asks while rubbing small circles into the other man's sides.

"No, I think I'm alright for now." Castiel relaxes at the tender touches and presses his lips to Dean's gently. He wraps both of his arms around Dean's torso to hug him closer to himself. It is odd, he thinks, for he has never considered himself an affectionate person. Yet when he is with Dean, he cannot seem to stop being so clingy. He stops though and pulls away a bit when he hears someone else entering the room from the hall.

"Hey Dean, you're home- oh, sorry, I didn't realize you were bringing him over afterward. Hi, My name's Sam."

Castiel looks in the direction of the voice to see an unfamiliar person across the room from them.

He has slightly long brown hair and hazel eyes. He stands in the doorway to the hallway in a pair of jeans and a red and blue plaid shirt.

It takes Castiel a moment for his brain to connect the face and name. _Sam_ , he remembers, _is Dean's younger brother._ Castiel untangles himself from Dean hesitantly to step forward and reach out to shake Sam's hand. "Hello, my name is Castiel," he tells the other quickly, "You are Dean's brother? I thought you were younger." He lets out a quiet, nervous laugh. _Perhaps Sam just looks older than he is?_

"He is younger," Dean speaks up as the two exchange greetings, "He's still a kid." Dean chuckles slightly and watches the two shake hands.

"How old are you?" Castiel asks uncertainly, not understanding why Dean would say something like that about someone who appeared to be about their age.

"I'm sixteen," Sam replies quickly. "And I'm not a kid," he defends himself from his brother's joke quickly. "You're just old."

Suddenly, the shortest of the three is very confused. He is beginning to put their ages into perspective. Sam, the person that Dean has been referring to as his "baby brother" and a "kid" is only a year younger than Castiel. He looks up at Dean in realization.

Dean does not look much older than Castiel at all. He had spent all this time thinking that they were probably both in high school.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" he asks quickly, cutting Dean off from whatever he was about to say to his younger brother.

"What?" Dean asks in confusion, "Yeah, of course you can, Cas." He frowns and goes to move his arm around the shorter man's waist again, only to have him pull away and walk into the kitchen.

Dean frowns at his younger brother and shrugs slightly before following Castiel into the next room. "Babe?" he asks, worry evident in his voice, "What's wrong?"

Castiel is walking to the far side of the kitchen, running his fingers through his dark hair in an act of disbelief. He tries to calm himself down by telling himself that even if Dean is a bit older, it is fine. Surely his parents would not mind if he dated someone who may be in college already, since Castiel will be a senior this year.

He takes a few deep breaths to collect himself before turning to face Dean once again. "Um... I know this may seem like a silly question," he begins, "after all that we have done today."

"Cas, what's wrong?" Dean steps closer the smaller man, reaching up to cup the side of his face gently, "Talk to me?"

The brunette relaxes slightly at the touch before pulling away and stepping back slightly.

"How old are you?"

Dean frowns in confusion at the question, not sure why this question is being asked at such a random time. "Twenty-four."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELP. Sorry for taking this in a different direction. send me reviews? let me know what you think about this SHOCKING development.


	7. Chapter 7

Twenty-four.

Castiel was trying hard to keep the number out of his head. He could not believe he had been stupid enough to go on a date without even knowing how old the other person was. He cannot help but be angry at himself.

Dean has been trying to talk to Castiel for the past few days. The blonde has been sending him multiple text messages every day, trying to get the younger man to talk to him.

"Cas, please come back. We can make it work."

"I swear, I didn't know you were underage."

"I fucked up and I'm sorry"

"Are you okay?"

"Listen you don't have to ever talk to me again, just let me know that you're okay."

As rude as it may have seemed, Castiel did not respond to any of the other's texts. He needed time to clear his head.

He had been sure that he and Dean were getting along perfectly. Their date went exceptionally well and it was the most fun that Castiel had had in a long time. Being with Dean had been exciting from the moment that Dean answered the door to when Castiel was hurrying out the door. Each kiss was just as memorable as and intense as the first.

The brunette curls up tighter on the couch, hugging the throw pillow and frowning at the memory of Dean's soft, full lips upon his own.

If only Dean had been younger. Castiel honestly believes that if that were so, then the two would have had a long, happy relationship together. But simply due to the fact that Dean was so much older, Castiel knew that that was not possible.

There was no way that his dad would approve. His father did not even know that Castiel was gay.

After Gabriel came out as pansexual to their dad, Castiel had been weary of letting his dad know about him liking men. Mr. Novak had been upset with Gabriel when he came out; the conversation had ended with a shouting match between the two, and Gabriel leaving the house to stay with his boyfriend at the time. Once the two had broken up, Gabriel had been allowed to move back in on the condition that he not mention the incident again.

After that, the youngest Novak had been afraid to tell his dad. He had been advised against it by Gabriel the moment he came out to his brother. If Mr. Novak would have such an issue with him being attracted to men, surely it would only make it worst for that man to be an adult, while Castiel was just going into his senior year of high school.

The brunette sits up on the couch quickly as he hears the front door open. He had been avoiding his dad ever since his date with Dean. He did not want the man to pick up on his sadness and ask what was wrong, since Castiel was such an unconvincing liar.

He relaxes, slumping back against the couch when he sees his older brother walk through the door.

Gabriel sets his messenger bag by the door and kicks off his shoes, glancing over at his younger brother. "What's up kiddo?"

The older sibling had just gotten off work, the smell of cupcakes and other pastries still lingering slightly on his clothes.

Castiel frowns and looks away. "Nothing is up," the younger brother says quietly.

"You sure?" Gabriel walks over and plops down on the couch beside his brother, raising an eyebrow, " You look down, so something else must be up." He grins at his own clever joke, nudging the man next to him.

"Brother-" Castiel begins with an exasperated sigh.

"Is it about your boyfriend?" Gabriel prys, "You've been moping since your date, Cassie."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this chapter is so short. I had to split it into two parts.
> 
> Please review! It helps to know that people actually like reading this...


	8. Chapter 8

"He's not my boyfriend," Castiel mummers quietly, pulling his knees up to his chest and hugging them tightly.

Gabriel furrows his eyebrows at the weak denial from the taller man. "What happened, Castiel?" The normally teasing tone has left his voice and he sounds as those he is worried for his youngest sibling.

"It's dumb," Castiel says quietly. His voice shakes as he says the words and his eyes are beginning to mist over with tears. It was dumb. It was stupid that Castiel was becoming so upset over someone that he had just met not even two weeks ago.

Gabriel rolls his eyes and wraps an arm around his brother, pulling him closer to comfort him as he tries to calm down. He sighs and holds Castiel's head to his shoulder, rubbing his back softly. Gabriel wasn't one for showing a lot of physical affection towards his brothers, but he couldn't stand the thought of Castiel crying. "It's not dumb if it's got you this upset," he tells the other softly.

Castiel takes a few shaky breaths as he begins to calm down, not moving his head from his brothers shoulder. After a moment, he mumbles out an unrecognizable phrase.

"What was that"

"He's twenty-four," Castiel huffs quietly, "I didn't know when we went out I thought he was my age." The brunette finally pulls away, wiping at his eyes quickly.

Gabriel bites his lip slightly, looking confused. "Is that a problem?" he asks.

"Yes," Castiel nods as he speaks, "I'm a minor. He could get in trouble, and father would not be happy with-"

"Dad wouldn't have to know," the blonde interjects quickly with a frown. He really didn't see a reason why Castiel wouldn't want to be with the other man, seeing as how happy they had been together.

"But if he figured it out, Dean could-... He could get into a lot of trouble." Catiel tells the other, looking down as he speaks. He considers this for a moment before shoking out quietly, "Besides... I already ruined things."

"What do you mean, Cassie?"

"As soon as he told me I left," he tells his brother, "I didn't mean too. I panicked." He felt awful for leaving without saying anything to Dean. "And he's been trying to talk to me but I just haven't been responding and he probably hates me now."

Gabriel scoffs quietly, leaning back against the couch, "I doubt he hates you, Cas." He tilts his head a little bit, smiling at his little brother. "You could just go talk to him about it," he continues, "He's literally within walking distance."

Castiel frowns over at the other man for a moment before looking out the nearby window. He's able to see the yard across from theirs through a crack in the curtains. "I can't," he says quietly, "I wouldn't know what to say." He realizes quickly that this will not be an adequate excuse to Gabriel and adds on, "I think I might as well just pretend we never met."

"You really think that that's going to solve anything, bro?" Gabriel asks with a frown. He didn't like to see his brother upset, and wanted him to be his normal self again as soon as possible.

"It'll save me from the embarrassment of having to see him again," Castiel mutters out, looking away from his brother. He stares down at his hands and fidgets slightly, wishing that he hadn't run from Dean.

"Well," Gabriel frowns as he stands up, "Not really."

Blue eyes shoot upwards to lock onto Gabriel. "What do you mean?" he asks quietly with a pout.

"Dad's planning a cookout," Gabriel says nonchalantly, "It was just going to be family and a few close friends but he thought it'd be a good idea to invite the new neighbors."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I've been so inactive. School sucks.
> 
> Please leave a review.


	9. Chapter 9

Castiel stares down at the red solo cup in his hands, watching the tiny carbonated bubbles cling to the sides of the cup, then slowly drift upwards to the surface of his coke. He sits on the edge of the swimming pool, letting his feet kick idly in the pool water. He wears a pair of black swimming trunks, paired with a light blue tank top.

"Cassie?" Balthazar looks up at his friend from his place in the pool, arms folded over on the poolside and resting his chin on his forearms beside where Castiel sits. "Are you just going to sit there and mope all afternoon?" the blonde asks quietly, glancing around the Novak's backyard as if to see if anyone else has noticed Castiel's odd behavior.

The brunette lets out what is probably the tenth frustrated sigh of the afternoon. "I'm not moping," he insists with a quiet mumble. "Balthazar, what am I going to do?" he asks his best friend in a quiet voice, not wanting anyone else to hear their conversation. Castiel has faint dark circles under his eyes, letting his friend know that he has not gotten much sleep due to him worrying about this.

Balthazar lets out a slow breath, reaching his hand up to rest gently on the other teen's leg, comforting him easily with just a touch. "You don't have to talk to him if you don't want to, Cassie," he reassures his friend, rubbing slow circles into the brunettes knee with his thumb. "Is he even here yet?"

Castiel's bright blue eyes dance around the crowd of faces in the yard. He recognizes a couple from down the street, a few families from the church that his father works at, Lucifer and Michael, his two oldest brothers, and some of their friends. The Winchester family is nowhere to be seen. The young man secretly finds himself hoping that something came up that would cause them not to be able to make it.

"Not yet," he utters quietly, tilting his head down toward his close friend, staring at him fixedly.

The day after his last meeting with Dean, Castiel had asked his father if he could spend a few days at his friend's house. In his time there, he filled Balthazar in on what had happened with the older man, and after that, tried his hardest to forget that it had ever happened.

However, it was proving very difficult. Sometimes Castiel finds that his moments with Dean were some of the most vivid ones in his life. He remembers every feeling of Dean's lips upon his own. The way that Dean's hand rested protectively on his hip, as if to assert that they were together to anyone that had happened to seen them. The way that their fingers laced together effortlessly when their hands found each other when they were near. He felt incredibly silly due to it all, knowing that a single afternoon with Dean was taking up so much space in his thoughts.

"Don't worry about it yet, Castiel," Balthazar smiles up at the brunette, reaching up to take the solo cup from Castiel's hands and take a couple of sips from it before handing it back.

"I can't just not worry about it," he mumbles quietly, staring down at his hands. "How could I have not known that he-" Castiel stops talking immediately when he hears a set of footsteps walking up from behind him.

"How's the water, boys?" the sound of Mr. Novak's voice comes from behind the dark haired teen, causing him to turn his head quickly to look over his shoulder and drop what he was saying immediately.

"It's really nice, Mr. Novak," Balthazar says quickly, smiling up at his friend's father.

Mr. Novak smiles down at the two teenagers, nodding slightly as he speaks, "Good, good. Do you two want burgers or hot dogs? How many?" He smiles fondly as the two young men tell him what they would like. "Alright," he grins, "Remember to put on extra sunscreen soon, you two."

Castiel nods slightly, not all that concerned with reapplying just yet since he put some on less than an hour ago. He has not even been in the water yet. "Yes sir," he says softly, watching as his father walks away.

The blonde teen stays quiet for a moment before resting his head in his friend's lap. "Aren't you going to get into the pool soon, Cassie?"

"I'd rather not," the other says quietly, resting his hand in the other's wet hair to play with it gently, "I do not feel like swimming at the moment."

"Then I'll go get a tube or a raft or something," Balthazar huffs in exasperation, "Please?"

The brunette stares down at the other for a moment before sighing in defeat. "Alright," he says, not even able to finish the word before Balthazar is swimming to the other side of the pool to grab the largest tube.

Once he brings it back to the other, he climbs into it quickly, grinning up at Castiel and patting his lap as he moves closer to the side of the pool.

Castiel cannot help but laugh quietly at his friend, smiling fondly as he carefully crawls onto the large tube and sits across the other's lap, already curling up against him slightly to get comfortable.

Balthazar laughs quietly, pressing a kiss to his best friend's temple and grinning happily.

It was not uncommon for the two of them to cuddle close together and leave soft kisses against the other's face and hands. It was not anything romantic between the two of them, just a way of showing each other that they cared.

"Cassie?" the blond says quietly, resting his hand against the back of the brunette's head, "Is that him?"

Castiel freezes at the question, chancing a glance over in the direction that his friend is staring in, only to see Dean Winchester staring at the two of them from across the lawn. Dean looks shocked, eyes meeting Castiel's before looking away quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think of this chapter please!


	10. Chapter 10

It was difficult for Castiel to enjoy himself now that he knew that Dean was here.

He wants to be able to have fun with his best friend for the last few days of their final summer as high school students, but finds that his anxiety over his brief romance with Dean Winchester is taking up far too much time in his thoughts for him to remain cheerful.

The brunette feels embarrassed that he had fallen so quickly for someone without knowing their age. A part of him feels as though it was not fair to Dean for him to run away from their relationship so quickly, but on the other hand, Castiel is too ashamed of his own actions to even face Dean.

And so he spends as much time as he can today, trying desperately to avoid eye contact with the other. He stays curled up in a tube float with his best friend, Balthazar, as the party goes on around them. They talk quietly in hushed voices so that no one else can hear over the constant chatter of voices enjoying the cookout.

"Cassie, you could always talk to him," Balthazar tries to add helpfully, "It couldn't hurt."

At this, Castiel turns his head to rest it upon his friend's shoulder. "It won't help either," he says quietly, "Just thinking about talking to him again makes me feel sick."

The blond teen frowns in consideration of this, then reaches down to hold Castiel's hand gently in an act of comforting.

"Boys!"

Both of the teens turn their heads toward the direction of the voice to see Castiel's dad waving a spatula in the air from across the lawn, where the grill had been set up. Mr. Novak is a middle aged man, with the same dirty blonde hair as his son Gabriel, though his hairline is receding and turning slightly gray with age. He is a preacher, leaning upon his religion when things in life become difficult. This helped him cope with his wife's sickness and death when Castiel was still a toddler. It helped to give him the strength that he needed in order to raise his four sons practically on his own. However, it also made it difficult for his sons to talk to him about much.

"Burgers are ready," the older man flashes a bright smile over at the two young men. "Come eat as soon as you two get a chance!"

"Let's go," Balthazar says quietly, sliding off of the float and into the water carefully as to not knock his friend out. "I'm starving, really."

"Hey Cassie," Balthazar said, sliding his phone into his bag, "That was my mom. She says she need me to go ahead and head home." He frowns at his friend, feeling guilty that he was having to leave the party on such short notice.

Castiel pouts slightly and stands up, wrapping his arms around Balthazar's neck. "Alright. I will see you again before school starts, correct?" he asks, pressing his face to his best friend's bare shoulder.

"Of course you will," the blond reassures the other. He looks over Castiel's shoulders, accidentally meeting a pair of bright green eyes from the other side of the lawn, which quickly avert their gaze.

The rest of the afternoon went by fairly quickly after that. Castiel sat by the poolside for the majority of it. He had asked his father if he could go inside, but was promptly told that it would be rude of him. He found himself counting the minutes until the party would be over. With an hour left on the clock, Castiel could not sit still any longer. He felt as though he needed an excuse to walk around. And so, he decided he would refill his drink.

It was almost ridiculous how careful he was being as to avoid encountering Dean. He checked to make sure the path to the drink table was clear twice before he made his way over. Even as he was filling his red solo cup back up, his eyes kept darting around the half of the yard that he could see without making it obvious that he was scouting out the area.

From what he could see, Dean Winchester was nowhere to be found. Perhaps the Winchester family had already gone home for the day. Castiel feels a rush of relief flow through his as this realization comes to him.

He cannot help the slight smile on his face at the idea that he had managed to avoid any terribly awkward confrontations. Perhaps he could just pretend whatever happened between him and Dean never really happened at all. He feels a little silly for worrying so much over something like this.

Castiel screws the lid back onto the coke bottle, staring down at his drink as he turns quickly and takes a step back toward the pool deck only to feel his hand bump into someone's chest. His mouth opens to release a quiet squeak of surprise as he loses grip on his cup, sending cold Coca-Cola soaking through the shirt of the person in front of him. He looks up at the person in his way, face falling with surprise and panic.

"Dean!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! the next chapter will be up soon so please let me know what you think of this chapter!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I'm an idiot and forgot to post this chapter. Its been sitting in my google drive for almost two months... Sorry.

Castiel is babbling out apologies quickly, trying to look anywhere but up at Dean's face. His hands go to the wet shirt, then to his own soda covered arms. Then he turns back to the table, looking for napkins hurriedly.

"Cas," the familiar, comforting voice behind him says softly, trying to get the younger man's attention.

Castiel cannot manage to remain calm long enough to listen to anything that Dean is saying.

He needs to find napkins but the man behind him is trying to assure him not to worry about it. That everything will be okay. That mistakes happen and he asks why Castiel is crying. And now Castiel has really messed up again. If Dean did not hate him for running away before, now he must because Castiel's been avoiding him all day. Now he is here and Castiel cannot even look at him. He cannot breathe and all he can think about is that everything is his fault and he cannot find the fucking napkins.

"I'll go get you a towel," Castiel cries as he pushes past Dean, running toward the house quickly.

Dean can only watch in confusion as Castiel runs away, opening the sliding glass door to the house. Then he hears it close and sees the younger man disappear from view.

Castiel's throat is stinging as he gasps for air. He makes his way down the hallway of his house to the bathroom. His hands are shaking as he opens up a drawer quickly and pulls a towel from it. He still cannot breathe through his tears and it hits him how incredibly stupid he is being. How this is possibly the dumbest thing he has ever had a panic attack over.

He finally allows himself to slide down to the ground and lean against the wall. He pulls his legs up to his chest and wipes the tears from his eyes before moving both of his hands to the back of his neck as he tries to get his breathing under control.

Footsteps can be heard making their way closer as they thud down the hall, followed by a few short knocks on the still open bathroom door.

"Cas?" Dean calls into the room quietly, looking down to see Castiel on the floor across from him. The blonde sighs quietly and watches the other man for a moment. He feels terrible as he watches the other cry, but he cannot seem to help but stand in the doorway frozen in place.

"Cas?" Dean finally says again, "Can I come in?"

At no response from the teenager, Dean takes a slow breath in before walking into the bathroom and moving to sit beside the brunette. He wants to comfort Castiel, but after the last time they had been this close, he was afraid of what would happen.

They sit there together for a few minutes, neither of them saying anything. Castiel's sobs gradually slow and get quieter before stopping altogether and leaving the two in complete silence.

"Hey, Cas?" Dean waits for a moment before continuing, "I just want you to listen to me for a minute okay? I know that what happened-... It was a mistake."

The word hurts to hear, and only makes Castiel hold on tighter to the nape of his neck as he tries hard to hold back more tears.

"I mean-... It was a mistake that we didn't talk more first... And a mistake that we weren't on the same page, and that I thought you were older, and that you thought I was younger." Dean turns a little and stares down at the brunette who still refuses to look at him. "But asking you on a date wasn't the mistake. Us being together and being happy for even just a few hours wasn't a mistake. At least... Not to me."

Dean takes a chance for a moment and reaches up to rest his hand on top of Castiel's own, trying to gently take his hands off of the back of his neck only to have them pushed away slightly. The older man takes a deep breath before continuing.

"I like you, Cas," Dean says quietly, "I didn't know your age and that's my fault for not checking before asking you on a date. But it doesn't change the fact that I like you and that I want to go out again sometime. But I understand if it's not okay with you.. Like, if dating someone older isn't comfortable to you then I get it. I just-" He frowns before reaching forward again to take Castiel's right hand in his left one. "I need to know that you'll be alright; and right now, it doesn't seem like you are. So I can't just step out on this not knowing if you'll be okay."

Castiel keeps his eyes shut tightly, tensing up at the hand taking his before holding onto it hard. "I don't know," he says faintly.

Dean holds the hand in his, tilting his head to lean in a little closer to the other man. "You don't know what Cas?"

"I don't know if I'm okay with this."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking with me. Please leave a comment letting me know what you think of this story and what you'd like to see in future chapters.


	12. Chapter 12

Dean stares down at his hand being squeezed. He holds on to the hand in his own, frowning and looking up to the blue eyed teen who holds tight to him. "Don't know if you're okay with what, Cas?" Dean could feel his heart sinking at the idea of Castiel turning him away. He waits for the brunette to say something, but does not get a response. "Castiel?"

"I don't know if I'm okay with-" Castiel takes a slow breath, trying to keep himself under control, "I don't know if I'm alright with how things are now." The brunette stares at the bathroom floor before hesitantly resting his head on Dean's shoulder. "I don't want to pretend that I don't know you or that nothing happened."

Dean pulls Castiel's hand closer to hold it in both of his own. He rubs at the back of the smaller hand, gently tracing his fingers over the soft, pale skin.

"I had fun on our date, Dean. I liked you," he pauses for a moment, sighing, "I still do, I just- I'm worried. About what could happen."

Dean smiles slightly and nods a bit. "I get it man. But," he continues, "We don't have to worry about what could happen, you know? We can just wing it. You're sure you still like me, right?"

Castiel looks up finally to be met with a caring smile and two vivid green eyes staring into his blue ones. At that moment, the weight of the situation seems to fall from his shoulders as he cannot help but return the soft smile. "I'm sure, Dean," he tells the other man.

"Then let's just keep things how they were alright? You're okay with being with me? Even if I'm a little older?"

Castiel nods a bit, "I am, Dean. I mean, it might take me a while to get use to the idea. But, I have feelings for you. I'm still worried and I know messed up before, but I want to fix things."

It felt good for the dark haired teen to be able to admit this after the past few days of trying to push his feelings down. He knew he could have talked about it, with either Gabriel or Balthazar, but trying to put all of his confusion and longing into words only made him feel that much more miserable. But now, being able to tell Dean how he felt was like taking a deep breath for the first time in days.

Dean holds tight to the other boy's hand, speaking quietly to him. "There isn't anything to fix. Nothing really changed between us, okay?"

"Yes. Okay, Dean."

The two stare at each other for a minute more, looking into each other's eyes and leaning closer until their foreheads touch lightly. "Can I kiss you?" Dean asks quietly, waiting for a slight nod from the other before he acts. He tilts his head just a bit, letting his lips brush against Castiel's gently before sealing any space left between them. He kisses him slowly, still holding tight to the other's hand. After a moment, he feels slender fingers running into his hair.

"Do you two want me to close the door or something?"

Castiel's eyes widen. As soon as he had relaxed into the kiss, he was pulling away quickly. "Gabriel!" The brunette's panic subsides quickly as he realizes that it was Gabriel who had walked in on them and not Lucifer, Michael, or worst, his father. Nevertheless, Castiel's face is red with embarrassment at the situation and he feels incredibly stupid for not thinking to close the door or make sure that they were alone before kissing Dean.

Dean, not knowing that Gabriel would not tell anyone, is immediately scooting away from Castiel. "It's not what it looks like-"

"Dean-"

"Don't get your panties in a twist, Winchester," Gabriel teases with a smirk, "Your secret, forbidden love is safe with me." The older brother rolls his eyes slightly, but smiles again after a moment. "Anyway, Mr. Singer is looking for you. I told him that Cas was helping you get cleaned up. He says to let you know that they're heading home."

Dean slowly relaxes to lean back against the wall, resting his hand on Castiel's again as Gabriel turns to leave.

"Oh," Gabriel stops and leans to look back into the bathroom, "And Dad's cleaning up outside and needs you to go help. So you two had better finish up your make out session quick before he comes looking for you." With that, he grins widely and grabs the door handle, pulling it shut to close the two inside.

The room is quiet for a moment, before the two begin laughing quietly. Castiel grins and turns to face Dean again, kissing his lips briefly.

"He really won't tell?" Dean asks quietly, pulling the brunette into his arms carefully.

Castiel shakes his head with a grin, resting his hands on Dean's shoulders. "Gabriel already knew about our date, and I told him how old you were a few days ago. He even told me that he didn't think your age was a problem."

The blonde smiles softly and presses another kiss to Castiel's forehead. "That's good that he's cool with it. Sam's the same way, really." Dean reaches down to hold Castiel's hand for a moment. "I'd better get going now. I'll text you really soon though, alright?"

Castiel nods, getting up off of the ground and reaching for Dean's hand to help him up as well. "Okay, Dean."

The two share one final kiss before Dean is turning and leaving the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a review to let me know if you're enjoying this story so far! Thank you so much for reading!


	13. Chapter 13

Castiel would be lying to himself if he said that he thought he and Dean would make it this far. Of course he had feelings for Dean Winchester and it was undeniable that the older man cared for him just as much. But the very idea that Castiel is now in a committed relationship with the gorgeous man that he had been nervous to talk to during the summer still amazes him.

The idea that they are sleeping together is even more remarkable to him.

"Dean," Castiel breathes out quietly, fingers tightening in the short blond hair of the head that is between his legs. His back arches off the bed desperately as his toes curl in pleasure. His throat is dry from the gasping breaths that he is taking as the other man bobs his head slowly on Castiel's member.

The first time they did this was New Year's Eve. They had walked over to Dean's house in order to escape the loudness of the party at the Novak's place. Castiel had not been prepared for his boyfriend to jerk him off in his bedroom that evening, but he certainly had not been complaining. It has been almost two months since then, and this had become a regular occurrence in their love life.

Dean looks up at his boyfriend, pulling off of the teenager's dick slowly and reaching up to take it in his hand. "Cas, babe, how're you holding up? Okay?" he asks worriedly as he strokes the brunette's member in his hand quickly.

"Good," Castiel says through his ragged breaths, "Really good, Dean. Don't stop- Almost-" He shudders as he begins to come, eyes shutting tightly and mouth gaping open in a silent moan. His body goes tense for a few moments, and by the time he comes down from his orgasm, he feels himself being tugged into a pair of strong arms.

His head rests gently against Dean's damp, bare chest as he relaxes while listening to the other man's heart beat, all the while trying to get his breathing under control.

"I love you," Dean says quietly, as he stares up at the ceiling, resting his hand gently on Castiel's lower back and rubbing gently.

The brunette hums quietly, pressing a brief kiss to Dean's chest. "I love you too," he mutters tiredly, relaxing against his boyfriend.

The room is quiet and still for a while. The only sound is the slowing breaths of the two naked men lying together. "Cas," the older man eventually says hesitantly, "We need to talk." He looks down to see that his boyfriend has fallen asleep in his arms.

Unwilling to wake up the sleeping teen, and chest wringing in guilt, he can do nothing but hold the other man close and try not to cry.

* * *

 "Dean?" Castiel says quietly, not lifting his head from the comfortable place where it lays against Dean's pillow. He cannot help but slowly doze in and out of sleep for a while until he hears a quiet cough come from the bathroom.

He finally sits up and wipes at his tired eyes, glancing at the alarm clock on the bedside table. It was half past six, meaning he had only been napping for about an hour.

"Dean? Are you okay?" the young man asks as he slides out of bed, reaching down to pick up his previously discarded jeans and pull them on before heading to the bathroom. He reaches forward, about to knock on the door but then pauses when he hears a quiet sniffle.

"Dean?" Castiel waits for a moment before speaking again, "Dean, let me in." He frowns at the wooden door separating the two of them until the moment it opens to reveal his boyfriend.

Dean looks awful. His eyes are red and puffy and his face is pale. He wipes at his eyes quickly as he tries to avoid looking at the brunette.

"Dean?" Castiel says softly, reaching forward to pull the blond closer, arms circling around his neck to pull his head down and against his shoulder. "What happened? What is wrong?"

"Cas," Dean says in a slightly trembling voice, pulling the other man close, "I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner. We- We can't keep doing this man."

The blue eyed teen feels his heart stop as he pulls away from Dean slightly. "Can't keep-" he pauses, staring up at the other, "Can't keep doing what? This? Us?"

"Us," Dean confirms, shaking his head hopelessly.

"But-" Castiel steps away from his boyfriend, shaking in place. "You just said you loved me!" he raises his voice in accusation.

"I do! But- I just-" Dean takes a shaky breath before looking away, "Oh god, Cas I love you. You know I do more than anything. I should have told you sooner. I still want to be with you but it's so difficult and I couldn't ask you to-"

"Dean, what are you trying to say?" Castiel takes both of his boyfriend's hands in his own. Dean still loves him. Whatever else is going on, they can fix it. As long as they have each other it will be alright.

"We can't be together anymore, Cas. I love you but-... I'm moving."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been forever but I finally figured out where I'm going with this fic. I'm wrapping it up and there will be about three more chapters.  
> Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a quick review!

**Author's Note:**

> Please review :3


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